Well folks, today’s the day. It’s been 1 full year of Modi 2.0, and 6 years of Modi sarkar in general. Over the last year, there’s been controversy, promises, guarantees, and a multitude of acronyms that don’t make sense. But like any leadership, the most significant aspect to focus on is what has been fulfilled from its agenda.
The revoking of Article 370, which granted Jammu and Kashmir special status, was a part of the BJP manifesto for some time, and was put in place in August 2019. The move led to condemnation from several corners.
The state was bifurcated into union territories, and many criticised the manner in which things were done. Means of communication, travel, and internet services were suspended, and there have been consistent reports about human rights violations in the area. However, the BJP has looked at it as a victory and an accomplishment of their goals.
The construction of a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was approved by the Supreme Court in November 2019. This was another major (and controversial) agenda in their manifesto.
The dispute around the land had been going on for decades, and boiled over many times. Since 1992’s Babri Masjid demolition, it had becoming a highly contentious issue. However, the land was marked for a Ram Temple under a bench headed by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, who was later given a seat in the Rajya Sabha by the Modi Government itself.
In August 2019, the BJP also succeeded in criminalising Triple Talaq, which allows Muslim men to instantly divorce their wives. This was another key part of their manifesto.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 was passed by the Supreme Court after deeming the practise of Triple Talaq to be unconstitutional. This was another move that stirred controversy.
The promise of 1 million jobs and decrease in unemployment has not come anywhere close to being achieved. In fact, unemployment rose to a staggering 8.5% in November 2019.
As of January 2020, data released by the EPFO and the National Pension System has shown that unemployment was at 7.5%. With the ongoing pandemic, that number is bound to have shot up. Considering one of Modi’s main talking points was job creation, the rate of unemployment in the country is testament to the fact that that goal has not been achieved.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was also passed last year, which was also part of the BJP’s core agenda. The bill led to nationwide protests due to its highly discriminatory nature.
There’s been widespread violence since the CAA and NRC was put in place, as they are openly against Muslims. Activists who led marches and protests, peaceful ones, are being arrested even now in the midst of a pandemic.
Modi and company have also not delivered on controlling price rise. They had claimed they would set up special courts to stop hoarding and black marketing. However, no courts have been set up.
Meanwhile, the prices of diesel and petrol rose ever higher. The Modi government also said that it would pass an amendment that would make hoarding a non-bailable offence, but that has not happened either.
The BJP had promised to ensure profitability in agriculture, mainly by giving a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production to farmers. However, this has not been implemented, and farmers still face massive distress.
Modi had promised that he will set Minimum Support Price (MSP) at cost plus 50%. The BJP had also said they’d reform the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act 2003, implement farm insurance and adopt a ‘National Land Use Policy’. None of this has really come to fruition.
While the BJP had made claims of India becoming a superpower in 2020, the reality is that out economic growth slumped to 3.1% in March. In fact, the economy was dying even before the pandemic hit.
India’s GDP grew at 4.2% in the fiscal year 2020, against 6.1% in the previous year.
All in all, several of Modi’s poll promises have been fulfilled, but many urgent ones have also been left in the dust. With the current emergency climate, where a migrant crisis rages on amidst a health disaster, all eyes are on the government.